CHARLOTTE, NC — A blend of top prospects and recognizable veterans highlight the 2018 Opening Day roster for the Charlotte Knights, who open the season tonight against the Durham Bulls from Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, NC.
First pitch of tonight’s game is set for 6:05 p.m. and the “Voice of the Charlotte Knights” Matt Swierad will have the call beginning at 5:50 p.m. on the team’s flagship station, 730 The Game ESPN Charlotte. The Knights will open their fifth season at BB&T Ballpark on Thursday, April 12th against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders at 7:04 p.m.
Charlotte’s 2018 Opening Day roster is headlined by RHP Michael Kopech, who enters the season ranked as the number two prospect in the Chicago White Sox system according to Baseball America and MLB.com. Kopech, 21, posted a 9-8 record with a 2.88 ERA in 25 starts combined between Double-A Birmingham and Charlotte last season. The Longview, TX native struck-out 172 batters, which ranked as the fifth-best mark in all of Minor League Baseball last season. Additionally, Kopech was a two-time Chicago White Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Month in 2017 and he earned the Southern League’s Most Outstanding Pitcher of the Year Award after ranking among the league leaders in strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP.
Joining Kopech in Charlotte’s rotation will be RHP Dylan Covey, LHP, T.J. House, RHP Donny Roach, and RHP Chris Volstad. Covey, 26, will get the Opening Day nod tonight for the Knights against the Durham Bulls. The 6’1” right-hander spent the majority of the 2017 season with the Chicago White Sox after being selected in the major league portion of the 2016 Rule 5 Draft.
The team’s bullpen features RHP Chris Beck, LHP Xavier Cedeño, RHP Tyler Danish, RHP Jeanmar Gόmez, RHP Bruce Rondόn, LHP Robbie Ross Jr., RHP Rob Scahill, and RHP Thyago Vieira. Beck returns for his fifth straight season with the Knights while Danish will begin his third straight season with the club. Cedeño, Gόmez, Rondόn, Ross Jr, Scahill, and Vieira are all new to the organization this season. Vieira, 25, is a member of Chicago’s 40-man roster and he enters the 2018 season ranked 20th in Chicago’s organization by Baseball America.
Brett Austin, a native of Charlotte, NC — and a product of Providence High School — joins 24-year-old Alfredo González as Charlotte’s catchers this season. Austin, 25, was drafted by the White Sox in the fourth round of the 2014 draft out of N.C. State University. Gonzalez was acquired by the White Sox on July 2, 2016 from the Houston Astros in exchange for cash considerations. He signed his first pro contract with the Astros at the age of 16.
Around the diamond, the Knights will feature two members of Chicago’s 40-man roster — Casey Gillaspie and Jose Rondόn — along with veteran infielders Jake Elmore, Patrick Leonard, Juan Perez, and Matt Skole. All four veterans (Elmore, Leonard, Perez, and Skole) were signed as free agents this offseason by the White Sox. Gillaspie appeared in 30 games with the Knights last season after spending 95 games with the Bulls. He hit a combined 15 home runs between both teams.
In the outfield, the Knights will welcome three newcomers and a returnee to the 2018 squad. Outfielder Jacob May returns for his third straight season with the Knights. The 26-year-old finished second in the International League in stolen bases last season with 31. Outfielders Ryan Cordell, Daniel Palka, and Charlie Tilson — all members of Chicago’s 40-man roster — will make their Charlotte debuts this season. Cordell, who is ranked as the number 18 prospect in the system by MLB.com, was acquired last season in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. Palka, a native of Greenville, SC, was claimed off waivers by the White Sox on November 4, 2017. Tilson, a native of Wilmette, IL, missed the entire 2017 campaign due to right foot and right ankle injuries. He enters this season ranked as the number 16 prospect in the system by MLB.com.
Charlotte’s active roster features 25 players, along with two players on the team’s disabled list. Infielder Eddy Alvarez and RHP Zack Burdi will begin the 2018 season on the team’s DL. Burdi, a first-round pick of the Chicago White Sox in the 2016 Draft, is recovering from June (2017) Tommy John surgery. Alvarez has spent parts of the past two seasons with the Knights.
The 2018 Charlotte Knights will be led by manager Mark Grudzielanek, who returns for his second season as the club’s skipper. Grudzielanek’s staff features Andy Tomberlin (hitting coach), Steve McCatty (pitching coach), Garey Ingram (assistant coach), James Kruk (head athletic trainer), and Shawn Powell (strength and conditioning coach).
